Dryer seal

ABSTRACT

A dryer seal. The seal is formed from an elongate multi-layer structure having a strip of fibrous material folded upon itself to establish a folded perimeter edge and a pair of outwardly projecting portions projecting away from the folded perimeter edge. A fibrous interior spacer layer is located between the outwardly projecting portions and a single attachment seam extends at an inboard location substantially parallel to said folded perimeter edge.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of and priority from provisionalapplication 60/490,361 filed Jul. 25, 2003 the contents of which arehereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a dryer seal and more particularly to a dryerseal of simplified construction incorporating an arrangement of fibrousmaterial forming a multi-layer sealing element secured together by asimplified stitching arrangement.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Automatic clothes dryers typically include a housing (also known as abulkhead) and a rotating drum supported within the housing. It is knownto use seal elements in the form of rings of felt which may be disposedbetween the housing and the drum so as to bear against the drum as itrotates. The use of a sealing element is desirable to prevent airleakage between the drum and the clothes dryer cabinet which coulddetrimentally affect the air flow system of the dryer. It is known toutilize seals in the form of multi-layered ring structures incorporatinga folded over exterior layer such as wool or wool blend nonwovenmaterial with a spacer material such as polyester or polyester blendmaterial held within the folded over exterior. The legs projectingoutwardly from the folded edge form a sealing contacting relation withthe rotating drum. In known past constructions of this type the spacermaterial was typically held in place by two seams with a firstpositioning seam running between the upper edge of the spacer materialand one side of the folded over exterior and a second holding seamextending at an inboard position through all three layers so as toestablish a coordinated stable structure.

In the past the use of a first positioning seam and a second holdingseam was believed to be necessary to maintain the desired spatialrelation between the folded over exterior and the internal spacermaterial. Maintenance of this spatial relationship is required in orderto retain the desired thickness of material between the drum and thehousing. In the event that the internal spacer becomes disengaged fromor unduly skewed relative to the folded over exterior, the sealefficiency may be greatly reduced thereby permitting hot air to exit thedryer drum and travel into the cabinet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides advantages and alternatives over the prior artby providing a dryer seal of substantially simplified construction whicheliminates the need for double stitching while nonetheless providingdesirable sealing characteristics. In particular the present inventionprovides a seal which functions in the desired manner of prior seals byusing flared edges to maintain a sealing relation between a rotatingdryer drum and the dryer cabinet. However, although the seal of thepresent invention operates in the same manner as known prior seals, itutilizes only a single connecting stitch line such as a lock or chainstitch between the folded over exterior and the internal spacer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following drawings which are incorporated in and which constitute apart of this specification illustrate an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention and, together with the general description above andthe detailed description set forth below, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary clothes dryer with therotating drum and seal illustrated in phantom;

FIG. 1A is an exploded cut-away view of a seal according to the presentinvention with the seal mounted around a bulkhead flange;

FIG. 2 is an end view of a dryer seal according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is an elevation plan view of an elongate strip of multi-layeredconstruction which may be attached end to end to form the dryer sealillustrated in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view taken generally through line 4—4 in FIG. 3 illustratingthe arrangement of layers and single stitch line.

While the invention has been generally described above and willhereinafter be described in connection with certain potentiallypreferred embodiments and procedures, it is to be understood andappreciated that in no event is the invention to be limited to suchillustrated and described embodiments and procedures. On the contrary,it is intended that the present invention shall extend to allalternatives and modifications as may embrace the broad principles ofthis invention within the true spirit and scope thereof.

DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made to the various drawings wherein to the extentpossible like reference numerals are utilized to designate correspondingcomponents throughout the various views. In FIGS. 1 and 1A, there isillustrated a dryer 10 including a cabinet body 12 housing a heatedrotating drum 14. As illustrated, the cabinet body includes a dooropening 16 for loading clothing articles into the mouth of the drum 14.The door opening 16 may be closed by means of a door 18.

As will be well known to those of skill in the art, the cabinet body 12typically includes a bulkhead flange 20 (FIG. 1A) surrounding the dooropening and projecting into the interior of the cabinet body. Thebulkhead flange 20 is disposed generally around a reduced diameter drumopening 22. An outer wall portion 24 of the drum is disposed insurrounding relation to the flange or ring 20.

As shown, a seal 30 is disposed around the bulkhead flange 20 betweenthe outer wall portion 24 and the bulkhead flange 20. As will beappreciated by those of skill in the art, dryers are typically vacuumsystems. In operation the seal 30 prevents the draw of cool (non-heated)air from around the drum. With this flow path blocked, air is drawn moreefficiently into the drum from a heated element area for use andeventual vent discharge.

As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the seal 30 includesa folded over exterior 36 and an internal fibrous spacer 38. As thedryer is operated the drum 14 may experience a degree of oscillation upand down. The exterior 36 and spacer 38 define legs which may flair outor compress as required to adjust for this up and down oscillation andthereby maintain contacting sealing relation with the moving drum.

Although dryer seal arrangements using seals having flared ends werepreviously known, according to the present invention an improvedconstruction for the seal 30 is provided which eliminates the need formultiple seams holding the spacer material in place. Thus, substantialefficiency is provided without sacrificing the ability to hold thespacer material in place (thereby avoiding dislocation or skewing) orgiving up the ability to maintain contacting relation between the seal30 and the oscillating drum 14.

Referring to FIGS. 2–4, it may be seen that the dryer seal 30 ispreferably of substantially circular construction. According to onepotentially preferred practice the dryer seal 30 is formed by adjoiningthe opposing ends of an elongate sealing structure 32 by use of end toend stitching 34 or other attachment means such as ultrasonic weldingand the like as may be known to those of skill in the art.

Referring simultaneously to FIGS. 2 and 3, according to one contemplatedembodiment the sealing structure 32 is formed by folding an outer layer36 around an interior spacer layer 38 and applying a single stitch line40 through the layered structure so formed thereby securing thecomponents in place relative to one another. As illustrated, the stitchline 40 is disposed at an inboard location relative to the folded overedge of the outer layer 36. Such an arrangement thereby forms a singlebulbous pocket structure 44 in which a proximal end 46 of the interiorspacing layer 38 is held.

According to an exemplary formation practice, the outer layer 36 is aneedle punched nonwoven textile material formed from entangled fibers ofwool or wool blend material such as wool and polyester or othersynthetic fiber. Recycled grey wool material may be particularlydesirable. In such a construction, the wool provides a degree of naturallubricity which may aid in avoiding premature damage. In one exemplaryconstruction the outer layer 36 is a needle punched grey wool felthaving a thickness of about 0.13 inches. However, it is likewisecontemplated that other materials and/or constructions may be utilizedif desired.

The interior spacer layer 38 is preferably a needle punched nonwoven ofpolyester. In one exemplary construction this interior spacer layer isneedle punched polyester having a thickness of about 0.17 inches and amass per unit area of about 12 ounces per square yard. However, it islikewise contemplated that other materials and/or constructions may beutilized if desired.

The stitch line 40 which defines the inboard boundary of the pocket 44is preferably formed by a chain stitch or lock stitch constructionalthough other stitching arrangements as may be known to those of skillin the art may likewise be utilized. In one exemplary construction thestitch line incorporates a stitch density of about 5 to about 13stitches per inch. However, it is likewise contemplated that otherstitching arrangements may be utilized if desired. The stitch jointsformed preferably exceed the tear strength of the felt.

As previously indicated and illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 4, the portionsof the outer layer 36 and interior spacer layer 38 which projectoutwardly from the pocket structure 44 define legs which can becompressed or flared as required to adjust for oscillation of the drum14. Thus, contacting sealing relation between the seal and the drum ismaintained during such oscillation.

While the present invention has been illustrated and described inrelation to certain potentially preferred embodiments and practices, itis to be understood that such embodiments and practices are illustrativeand exemplary only and that the present invention is in no event to belimited thereto. Rather, it is contemplated that modifications andvariations to the present invention will no doubt occur to those ofskill in the art upon reading the above description and/or through apractice of the invention. It is therefore contemplated and intendedthat the present invention shall extend to all such modifications andvariations which incorporate the broad principles of the presentinvention within the full spirit and scope thereof.

1. A dryer seal comprising an elongate multi-layer structure whereinsaid elongate multi-layer structure comprises a strip of fibrousmaterial folded upon itself to establish a folded perimeter edge and apair of outwardly projecting portions projecting away from said foldedperimeter edge and a fibrous interior spacer layer disposed between theoutwardly projecting portions and wherein a single attachment seamextends at an inboard location substantially parallel to said foldedperimeter edge so as to adjoin said outwardly projecting portions tosaid interior spacer layer at a defined location inboard of said foldedperimeter edge, said outwardly projecting portions defining legsextending away from said folded perimeter edge in substantially parallelrelation to one another in adjacent relation to opposite sides of thefibrous interior spacer layer, said legs terminating at distal endsremote from the attachment seam, wherein said distal ends are adapted toflare outwardly away from the fibrous interior spacer layer, said legscomprising intermediate segments disposed between the attachment seamand the distal ends, said intermediate segments adapted to maintaincontact with at least a portion of the fibrous interior spacer layerwhen said distal ends flare outwardly away from the fibrous interiorspacer layer.
 2. The invention as recited in claim 1, wherein saidsingle attachment seam comprises a chain stitch seam construction. 3.The invention as recited in claim 1, wherein said single attachment seamcomprises a lock stitch seam construction.
 4. The invention as recitedin claim 1, wherein the fibrous material folded upon itself comprises anon-woven textile material comprising a plurality of entangled woolfibers.
 5. The invention as recited in claim 1, wherein the fibrousmaterial folded upon itself comprises a non-woven textile materialcomprising a plurality of wool fibers entangled with synthetic fibers.6. The invention as recited in claim 5, wherein said synthetic fibersare polyester.
 7. The invention as recited in claim 5, wherein the woolfibers are recycled grey wool.
 8. The invention as recited in claim 1,wherein fibrous interior spacer layer comprises needle punched non-wovenpolyester.
 9. The invention as recited in claim 8, wherein the interiorspacer layer is characterized by a mass per unit area of about 12 ouncesper square yard.
 10. A dryer seat comprising an elongate multi-layerstructure wherein said elongate multi-layer structure comprises a stripof fibrous material formed at least partially from a plurality ofentangled wool fibers wherein said strip of fibrous material a foldedupon itself to establish a folded perimeter edge and a pair of outwardlyprojecting portions projecting away from said folded perimeter edge; anda fibrous interior spacer layer of needle punched polyester disposedbetween the outwardly projecting portions and wherein a singleattachment seam of chain stitch or lock stitch seam construction extendsat an inboard location substantially parallel to said folded perimeteredge so as to form a single bulbous pocket holding a proximal edge ofthe fibrous interior spacer layer and adjoining said outwardlyprojecting portions to said interior spacer layer at a defined locationinboard of said folded perimeter edge, said outwardly projectingportions defining legs extending away from said folded perimeter edge insubstantially parallel relation to one another in adjacent relation toopposite sides of the fibrous interior spacer layer, said legsterminating at distal ends remote from the attachment seam, wherein saiddistal ends are adapted to flare outwardly away from the fibrousinterior spacer layer, said legs comprising intermediate segmentsdisposed between the attachment seam and the distal ends, saidintermediate segments adapted to maintain contact with at least aportion of the fibrous interior spacer layer when said distal ends flareoutwardly away from the fibrous interior spacer layer.
 11. The inventionas recited in claim 10, wherein the strip of fibrous material formed atleast partially from a plurality of entangled wool fibers furthercomprises a plurality of synthetic fibers.
 12. The invention as recitedin claim 11, wherein said synthetic fibers are polyester.
 13. Theinvention as recited in claim 11, wherein the wool fibers are recycledgrey wool.
 14. The invention as recited in claim 10, wherein theinterior spacer layer is characterized by a mass per unit area of about12 ounces per square yard.